Physics to God is a guided journey through modern physics to discover God. We start from the fine tuning of the constants of nature, travel through the multiverse, and ultimately arrive at a compelling idea of God.
Introduction
Elie
Welcome to Physics to God, a guided journey through modern physics to discover God. My name is Elie Feder, and I'm an orthodox rabbi and a mathematician.
Aaron
And my name is Aaron Zimmer. I'm also an orthodox rabbi with a deep interest in physics and philosophy. On this podcast, we'll discuss some of the most fascinating developments in physics and make a convincing argument that they point directly to the existence of God.
Elie
You see, over the past few decades, scientists have discovered very special features of the natural world, features which are absolutely necessary for the existence of our complex and ordered universe. Most specifically, we have the constants of nature, numbers whose precise values seem almost too perfect to be explained by chance alone. This is called fine tuning. If you don't follow exactly what that means just yet, don't worry about it. On Physics to God, Aaron and I will explain it all in a language that you can understand. We'll show you how our universe's special features present a great mystery, and that the solution to this mystery demonstrates the existence of an intelligent cause of the universe.
Aaron
We're definitely not the first people to discover these special features of our universe. In fact, scientists have been grappling with them for decades. Some of the most prominent names in the scientific community have noticed the exact same thing. For example, Stephen Hawking, Martin Rees, Max Tegmark, amongst others. Because they don't want to bring God into the equation, they suggested a different reason these constants seem perfectly fine tuned for our universe to emerge. Many top physicists have posited a multiverse, which is an infinite number of universes, each one with different values for these numbers. Of course, even they admit that we can never observe these parallel universes.
Elie
Now that sounds a lot more like science fiction than science.
Aaron
While it may sound like science fiction, some of the most brilliant people in the world are proponents of the multiverse theory. And while we don't agree with it, we're still going to take it very seriously.
Elie
Regardless of what you maintain about the multiverse, if modern scientists are willing to posit something as wild as that, you can be certain that fine tuning shows that there's a very big mystery to solve. And on Physics to God, we'll explain the great mystery of the constants and then slowly and convincingly illustrate its proper solution.
The Hosts' Bios
Aaron
But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's explain a little more about who we are and what we're going to do. And just as importantly, what we're not going to do
Elie
Good idea, Aaron. Why don't you tell us a little bit more about yourself and your background?
Aaron
Okay, after receiving my degree in physics, together with my rabbinical ordination, I considered going to graduate school. But I had so many other interests besides physics, things that I wanted to think about like philosophy, mathematics, biology, amongst other things. So I chose a bit of an unconventional path. I started trading commodity futures - oil, gas, cotton, sugar, coffee, all using my own money. I used the conceptual categories and the way of thinking that I learned from both physics and from the advanced Brisker Method of analyzing the Talmud. I was fortunate to be successful enough that I was able to retire from trading commodities after 11 years. Now I have the free time and energy to devote to all those various branches of knowledge in addition to studying advanced physics.
Elie
Nice. In some ways, I have a similar background to Aaron, but in other ways, very different. I'm also a rabbi, but my education took a more traditional path. After graduating college, I got a PhD in math. My thesis was in Braid group cryptography, and my current field of research is something called graph theory. While I really enjoy advanced mathematical research, I also have a passion for teaching. I love taking complex topics, those which students have the hardest time grasping, and simplifying them in a manner that my students can understand. Being a math professor at a community college affords me that opportunity on a daily basis.
Aaron
Because of our differences, Elie, maybe now is a good time to start talking about the different ways that you and I approach teaching. This is something that we discovered over the course of the many years it took us to write our book, which is as of yet unpublished, that this podcast is based upon.
Elie
This is an argument that you and I have had for years, Aaron. We realized that our two different paths in life correspond to two different styles of teaching. My approach is to try to take the material, explain it, break it down, simplifying it to make it as clear and understandable for the student.
Aaron
Which means that you inevitably lose some of the meaning. My approach is to respect you, the listener, and tell you the ideas as they truly are. And trust that you will be able to understand what I mean.
Elie
Which is great - unless everyone tunes out because they have no idea what you're talking about. In writing our book, we handle the discrepancy in our styles by passing each chapter back and forth many times. First, Aaron writes it really complicated, then I change it and make it really simple. Then he changes it back to complicated, but a little bit less so, and so on. Somehow it works. I mean, we think that we end up with a good mix of carefully formulated physics on the one hand, and a friendly presentation of ideas on the other.
Aaron
That's the book. Here's what we're going to do on Physics to God. I tell it like it is, so that you can hear these amazing ideas about the universe without diluting them. Of course, even I leave out the equations because I realize that nobody wants to hear complicated math.
Elie
And my job is to take those ideas and make sure that everyone, whether or not you're a natural at science, can understand and appreciate them, often with the help of mundane analogies. Because we expect that this podcast will appeal to listeners with different backgrounds. And while some will enjoy the more advanced scientific jargon, others might prefer a more simplified version. Even though we're going to delve into some of the deepest mysteries of the universe, these ideas are actually pretty comprehensible. That is, once we translate the math into plain English and explain the physics in clear and understandable language.
Aaron
Together, Elie and I will make sure that this podcast will speak to you, whether you have a scientific background or not. And whatever your background is, we are confident that, as an added perk, you will walk away from this podcast with a better and clearer understanding of many of the most interesting issues in modern physics. It is shocking, shocking, just how many of the most basic areas of physics this journey will touch upon.
Elie
Wow! You sound excited, Aaron. One thing, please don't make it too complicated.
Aaron
Deal you too Elie, please, not too simple.
Intended Audience for the Physics to God Podcast
Elie
You got it. Aaron before describing the outline of this podcast, I think we should address the religious background, or lack thereof, of our intended audience.
Aaron
That's a good point. While we're going to appeal to lots of different audiences, there are two groups that Elie and I think are going to especially enjoy Physics to God. First are religious people who mistakenly believe that God and science simply can't work together. In the coming episodes of this podcast, you'll see that not only is there no contradiction, but the opposite is the case: science convincingly points to the existence of God. While we won't discuss any religion or divine providence, we will present a compelling argument for the essential foundation of religion: that there exists an intelligent cause of the universe - God.
Elie
The other listener who will love Physics to God is an open minded, secular person who is interested in the question, Does God exist? and is willing to accept the possibility that science and philosophy can lead to the conviction that the answer is: yes. To this listener, you don't have to worry that we'll use religious language or try to sneak some unscientific or philosophically shallow argument past you. Instead, all our arguments are presented within a secular framework, and use only rational categories that comply with the scientific method, or rational philosophy. Nothing in Physics to God will rely on divine revelation, or spirituality.
Aaron
So if you want to learn some mind-blowing physics, and see how using the scientific method, physics points directly to God, you are going to love Physics to God.
Three Series of the Podcast
Elie
We've divided this podcast into three separate miniseries, each self contained, each with its own specific theme.
Aaron
The first series is called "An intelligent cause." And in these episodes, we'll go through some of the cutting-edge physics that demonstrates something called fine tuning. That is, the confluence of some insanely precise numbers that allow for the universe and life to exist. In fact, if these numbers were even a tiny bit different, the world as we know it couldn't exist at all. We'll go through those ideas and show you how they point directly to the idea of God.
Elie
The second series is all about the multiverse, which for many physicists who reject the idea of an intelligent fine tuner, is their best theory for why the numbers we've referenced seem so exact. We'll talk about what the multiverse is, the different versions of this theory, as well as the reasons that we think it doesn't hold much water.
Aaron
The third series is where we confront the biggest questions of all. Why do so many scientists consider the idea of God irrational? We're going to develop a satisfactory and compelling idea of God that is philosophically rigorous at the same time as is religiously meaningful, in a way that answers all serious questions, such as: What caused God? What does God even mean? and many others. Again, we're doing all this without relying upon any religious assumptions about what God is.
OUTRO
Elie
All of that is coming up on this podcast. So make sure to subscribe so that you don't miss an episode. Share it with any of your friends who are interested in science and God.
Aaron
Elie, this is going to be fun. I'm looking forward to starting this amazing journey.
Elie
Same here, Aaron. Thanks for joining us today and we'll see you on the next episode of Physics to God.
